My parents’ dog and we owned the TRAILS!!!

Recently I have gotten some rather interesting emails (these types of emails are always the funnest part about blogging…;) regarding my parents’ dog Maggie.

I am pretty open about my life but I don’t always tell you the details about my family. Over the last few years my mom has developed asthma due to allergies from pollen. It has gotten so bad that many springs she rarely leaves the house because of the pollen count and has to have clean air filters all over the house to try and clean the air at home. She also has to give herself treatments often and has had some pretty scary asthma attacks. A few times I thought for sure I needed to call 911 for her. Luckily she was just cleared to start getting shots starting next week so things should hopefully improve.

When we had Maggie it was very difficult for my mom because every time Maggie would come in from being outside (she was an indoor dog… but is very active and so she was outside running around a lot too) she would bring in a whole bunch of pollen from outside on her fur and it would cause my mom to have hives and all sorts of breathing problems. We even tried out having Maggie stay full time in the basement with me but it still affected my mom a ton.

My whole family was devastated that we had to give her back to her original owners a few months ago (although, their 10 year old son was beyond happy to have Maggie back) but obviously my mom’s health is much more important. And as much as Brooke loves dogs, we just won’t be able to get one until we move out. So, that is what happened to Maggie and we all miss her like crazy because pets truly do become a part of your family.

For now I will just buy Brooke a trillion stuffed animal dogs.

——————————————–

My drive home from pump class this morning was a pretty good one. This is the real deal.. no filter needed.

Not going to lie. I was having a rough morning. Sometimes things just hit like I am sure all of you have experienced because we are humans and that just comes along with the title.

Three things snapped me out of it.

1. This girl.

2. The trails.

3. Nature.

I am a millimeter away from making the decision to run on trails every day of my life and say goodbye to the roads. Okay, that isn’t going to happen because I love the roads too but running on the trails just does something for me. I feel stronger, I feel like I get to escape the real world a little, exploration is good for the soul and my body feels better than it has in months when I run on the trails.

6.4 miles of just what I needed.

Another wonderful thing about today’s run was that I got to pull out my sunglasses from hibernation. I have worn the Oakley Commits for YEARS and I don’t think I will stray. I think I even got them pre-blog days. Anyways, they stay put, they are comfortable and keep my eyeballs from hurting in the sunlight.

PS I am seeing Divergent tonight! Anyone else? Anyone read the book?

Anyone reading ever struggled with asthma?

What are you allergic to?

Are you a sunglasses while running person? What kind do you wear?

Anyone have a dog in the area that Brooke and I can come play with all of the time?

88 comments

Jessica

I have a ton of allergies and avoided going outside in the spring too. When I started getting shots (about five years ago), my allergies improved sooo much! So hopefully your mom will have the same result! Good luck to her :-)

It amazes me that I used to never wear sunglasses…even though I was on the water pretty much twice a day every day for years. Now, I’m definitely a sunglasses-wearer. I hope your hard times are getting fewer and farther between :) Trails are always good no matter what ails you. My allergies all concern foods :(

Candice

Sorry to hear about your mum’s asthma and having to give back beautiful Maggie. My twins have asthma (on top of everything else!) and its becoming more difficult to manage so I can completely understand your family’s difficult decision.

I used to be allergic to dairy but grew out of it. All my kids are anaphylactic-its a nightmare- I carry 3 epipens in my handbag! Our immune systems must be shot or something.

Sorry about Maggie. That must have been tough. I think I’m a little bit allergic to my dog (or maybe the pollen he brings in), but I do ok if I keep him off the furniture, vacuum a ton, and bathe him more than I probably should. If you and Brooke are ever in Connecticut, I will personally drive Monster to meet you guys somewhere! (He is not actually a monster and is great with kids).

I am in the market for a good pair of running sunglasses, so I will have to check out the Oakley Commits!

I totally understand the allergy thing. My husband has realllly bad allergies and we have two dogs, so I get the dog thing. The spring and fall are REALLY bad for him. I have to vacuum nonstop! I’m sorry you had to return Maggie, but hopefully your mom will feel better.

Glad you got in a great trail run! I imagine it makes you feel on top of the world!

Aww I am allergic to dogs and cats as well. I have a cat and have just learned to live with the constant runny nose and sneezing. I think maybe I have built up somewhat of a tolerance over the years? Or at least that is what I tell myself. But if I broke out in hives all the time I would have to do what you/your mom did too even though it’s so sad.

That trail looks gorgeous! I wish we had trails like that down here in south Florida!

I’m allergic to pet dander, but my hives flare up really badly around cats and horses in particular. This is fine by me, because I can still keep my mutt puppy, whose parts include hypoallergenic breeds! So far so good. He’s a cutie, too, so you can hang out with HIM!

Becca L.

I had the worst allergy induced asthma when I was younger — I ended up in the hospital multiple times, too! I ended up getting allergy shots which cured me — along with probably just growing out of the asthma. I sooooo feel for your mom, that is really horrible! I really hope the shots work for her, as well!

My aunt has asthma similar to what your mom experiences so I feel for her.
COME TO MY HOUSE :) I have a golden retriever/ border collie mix named Berkley! And twins that are just a bit older than Brooke! Im in S Jordan! Perfect, right??

Susan

Oh, so sad for your mom! I am allergic to everything (no food thank God) and did allergy shots for 7 years. Helped a lot! I hope they help her, too.
The trails look amazing! Wow, makes me want to run some for sure.

Awww so sad about Maggie, but you’re absolutely right: Your mom’s health is the most important thing. Here’s to her feeling better and kicking allergies in the butt! :) Now you’ve got me wanting to run trails- it’s such an escape, I love it and don’t get to do it nearly enough! Especially now, being pregnant and all ;) I’m reading Divergent right now and then going to see the movie! Can’t wait!

My allergies get really bad too. I practically have to wear a mask when I am outside the house and I live on Claratin. I am with you, I am SUPER close to calling it quits on road runs but all the best races are on roads so I think I have to stick it out.

Allergic To – Mostly the pollen outside, I cant stop sneezing and my eyes water.
Sunglasses – Yes, have Oakleys forget what model, have had them forever

I love trail running! I would do it every day if I could. That trail you did looks beautiful.
I don’t run with sunglasses but It’s something I might do once summer gets here. I’ll have try out the Oakley Commits.

Aww, sorry to hear about Maggie! I have two little doggies and couldn’t imagine having to give them away, they really are part of our family. We’re about to leave on a cross country road trip (MOVING HOME TO MA) and I already have the whole Divergent series audiobooks downloaded on my phone and ready to go! :) Can’t wait!

I use to struggle with asthma pretty bad as well, what got me was the cold air, my lunges could not handle it and it was pretty scary at times. I have seasonal allergies pretty bad as well so the spring is not my friend! I am just a mess! haha
Your pictures of beautiful of the trails! I love trail running and I think I could convert as well!

Allyssa

I have been wondering why Maggie stopped making an appearance on the blog! Your poor mom! I have horrible allergies also and know how difficult it can be. Where I live in FL we have different items blooming all year long (the mangroves do it in the fall!) so I have pretty much 12 months of problems.

I also loooove Oakley Commit sunglasses! They are the best and worth every penny you spend on them. I’m usually a visor and no glasses runner because I don’t like sweat falling in my eyes but I had a half marathon last weekend that was cool enough to go sans visor. I wore my Commits for the last 10 miles and didn’t even notice them. Awesomeness.

I get some asthma flareup from running. My son had it bad as a kid but he’s grown out of it (he got it from my husband I think, he had it terrible as a kid, too), but now they both pick up pneumonia like it’s a summer cold. Good fun.

I’m allergic to chocolate and caffeine and I’m pretty sure cooking. I break out in whine every time I am forced to consider making dinner.

I can’t go out the door without sunglasses, I’m a sunglasses freak. I buy the cheapest ones I can find at Target usually. :) But they have to be cute.

Oh, I meant to add…it must be in the air??? It’s been a rough few days for a few people I know so I’m sorry and I’m glad you are feeling better. Some days are just not our friend. Today though…is the International Day of Happiness. It must be good.

Since I cannot put sunblock on my eyeballs, I really need to get better about wearing my sunglasses consistently (I only just found comfortable ones that don’t make me look like Robocop. Can’t wait to wear them whenever I run!).

Jennifer S

In regards to your mom’s allergies, have her look into Oil of Oregano. I but it over the counter at GNC. You put a few drops under your tongue and it works wonders. It has drastically decreased my seasonal symptoms. I don’t have allergies nearly as bad as your mom but maybe it will help her.

Melissa C

I’m allergic to everything in nature except animals, but the only food I am allergic to is grapefruit (recent one, sad) and then extreme cold?!! I got allergy shots weekly for a couple years which was great, but then I started having bad reactions to them that we could not control so I had to stop. The good news is that the allergy shots calmed my pollen allergies down a bit, but I still have to wear long sleeves when I do yard work or I get rashes.

I don’t have asthma but I have really bad allergies to basically everything in nature. I also have chronic sinusitis aka I get sinus infections a lot. Fun times. But hey, it could be worse! I have a chocolate lab who is obsessed with people and being around people for when you’re in the Bay Area ;)

That is such a bummer about your mom’s allergies. They can be brutal!
I need to go find some dry trails because I love running trails. It’s just different.
I wear either Oakleys (if I have my contacts in) or I have a pair of Ray Bans that are prescription that I love to wear too. The Ray Bans actually fit better then Oakleys.
I wish I would have ran today. It was that kinda day for me and I ended up taking a 4 hour nap. eh! It happens.

Laura

Car exhaust makes me wheeze – does that count as asthma? But it really makes me appreciate trail running!! I don’t know what I’m allergic to, but it has landed me in the ER – nothing quite like that feeling of your head swelling up around you… So now I just have EpiPens all over and hope I don’t run into my mysterious nemesis.

I wear sunglasses ALL. The. Time. Except when I’m running, because I can never find a good pair that don’t squeeze my brains out and/or don’t bounce like crazy. I tried using my super-spendy glacier glasses (4% light transmission) which were amazing until I ran into a tree stump that I just didn’t see!

Karin

I love hiking, but have never really been trail running. I’ve always wanted to though.
I am allergic to almonds, so I need to be super careful about salads or any store bought treats.
I read Divergent and I liked it. I even liked the third one and thought the ending was good, although I realize I am in the minority on that. It’s one of those series where I am glad I read it, it was entertaining enough, but I don’t think I’ll ever read it again. Make sense?

Kate

I had really bad asthma when I was younger. I still have it, but the combination of medications I take has significantly improved it and so has running! I used to dread breathing treatments when I was little…my mom had to bribe me with powdered sugar donuts to get me to take them sometimes.

I’m allergic to some medicines and have seasonal allergies, but a shot usually takes care of those.

I wear sunglasses sometimes when I run, but have no idea what brand they are. They can’t be that expensive because I’m awesome at losing things and/or breaking them.

John

I had the shots for years and it made a huge difference for me. I can’t say that 4 shots a week was the thrill of my life, but it gave me my life back. I had bruised a rib coughing during an asthma attack, just before I started the treatment. The shots and medication got it under control. I now just take some antihistamines during the Spring and Fall. My son has also responded well to the shot therapy. He had more shots, but we have both seldom had asthma attack since. Hope that your Mom finds that the treatment brings the relief that it brought us.

Not to mention that I am running outdoors again and love every minute of it.

BTW, I had a pair of Oakley Blades, which got lost and I miss them still…

Sorry to hear your mom’s allergies are so bad! I hope the shots help her so she can get outside whenever she wants. The pollen has been giving me a hard time this year too. I sometimes run in sunglasses and my running one’s are Oakley too!

Jen

As an adult I developed asthma and allergies to pretty much everything, including my cats, dust, and pollen, which of course are all around me. I wouldn’t struggle with the asthma so much except it’s often triggered by my running and I almost always forget my inhaler at home (I even forget it when I travel out of state. I’m a terrible asthmatic). But so far no ER, just close calls. Your run looks amazing! I live in Vermont, it was above freezing for the first time in a billion years today but we still have feet upon feet of snow on the ground. I miss the trails!

Aw I have asthma too and while I reallllyyy want a dog, I am terrified of exactly this kind of thing. I wear my everyday sunglasses while running. I can’t run without sunglasses! I read Divergent and am in the middle of Insurgent now. I can’t wait to see Divergent!

My son has horrible asthma that is triggered by allergies. Especially this time of year. In fact, today he had a horrible asthma flare after playing outside. Don’t feel bad about the dog. People are more important. :)

I get very bad asthma with pollen as well. It makes it difficult to sleep, and to run. One thing that helped me was washing my hair before bed. Pollen is super sticky and even if you take your shoes off (or strip naked!) at the door, you still track pollen in with your hair. When you go to bed you (and your partner) cover the pillows with it and then end up breathing pollen all night.

Btw… did you know that increased pollen levels are because of pollution? Plants ingest carbon dioxide and expel oxygen. When there’s more carbon dioxide in the air, they will absorb more and pollinate longer. Stobby’s little factoid of the week :).

I am allergic to dogs that shed so I had a poodle growing up (my little Cindy, oh how I miss her)…I used to wear sunglasses while I ran but suddenly stopped that a few years ago when I couldn’t stand sweating and wearing shades at the same time…

I’m slightly allergic to my dogs, but luckily zyrtec keeps it in control! Cats are out of the questions, though! I’m lucky that I can handle it with meds, because I can’t imagine not having them! So sorry for your family, but that’s awesome that Maggie had another loving home to go to!

I can’t imagine having to give my dog back. Heartbreaking! But at least she went back to a great home. If you can’t get a dog, you might be able to volunteer at a shelter, taking care of the pups. Your run looks amazing. I love trail runs and living in Colorado means I get to do them often.

That’s so sad about giving Maggie back! It’s good that she gets to go to a family, though, and wasn’t surrendered to the pound or anything. I don’t think I could ever give Bungee away. She’s basically my kid!

Beth

Caren

Maybe you can borrow a dog from a local shelter to run. I’ve signed up as a volunteer at a local shelter and borrowed a dog every once in a while. Usually have to sign a waiver in the beginning, but it’s good for you and the dog who really need the exercise. Just a thought!

Loribeth

The sunglasses thing has been my challenge lately. I weighed the pros and cons of sunglasses and hats and I think hats won for me.

sunglasses: pros-lightweight, don’t make your head sweat, you can stare at people you pass without the awkward eye contact thing…cons-sometimes give me a headache, sweat can run in your eyes

running hats: pros-made of quick dry fabric with built in sweat band on forehead, keep colored hair from fading as fast in sun on long runs, keep flyaways down so no headband is needed, keeps rain out of your eyes…cons-sometimes can make your head hot, still have to worry about awkward eye contact with passers-by

Sorry Maggie had to leave but SO happy to hear she went back to a family who she knows and loves.
While I don’t live anywhere near you, feel free to show Brooke all the cute photos of my dog on my instagram (sweatoutthesmallstuff). Duncan is a real ham for the camera. Honestly he should have his own social media feed and blog!

I recently started wearing sunglasses while running (I got some maui jims for christmas) and so far so good but I know in the summer I sweat so much that i’m constantly having to rub the sweat drops out of my eyes because it stings so bad and the sunglasses are going to be a hinderance. I’ll see how it goes…Otherwise it’s just my visors and caps with brims…

Sarah

I bet you get so many weird random emails! You should make a list of the weirdest questions you’ve been asked!

I’m going to see divergent on Saturday night at one of those theatres that has a full menu while you watch. I’ve already decided I’m getting pizza, then freshly baked choc chip cookies with a scoop of ice cream on the top. Or maybe a milkshake.

I had childhood asthma. I am fortunate that I outgrew it, because I don’t know how I would deal with not being able to run or hike. It was always especially bad when the seasons changed from summer to fall and winter to spring.

Robin

Oh.my.gosh – I know this is completely random, but I also know your love of donuts… SO… have you ever checked out: http://www.gourdoughs.com/! It’s not local, but if you are ever in that area, I think you should go there! I haven’t been, but I just saw it on TV and I now want a donut!! YUM!

Read all three of the Divergent books. Waiting for my youngest to get back from a trip so she and her older sister and I can all go see the movie.

Luckily, we have no asthma in our family. Plenty of allergies though. I was so allergic to wheat as a child I spent the eve of my 13th birthday in the emergency room covered from head to toe in hives. Not fun.

I have a love/hate relationship with trails. I ended up with stitches in my knee after a particularly ungraceful fall. But I love running them (as long as I can stay upright).

When you’re back in the Bay Area, we have a particularly slobbery (but very silky) golden lab who would love to play with Brooke. :)

No allergies here, thank God! Has your mom tried any essential oils??? I just started using Young Living oils (out of Utah I believe, actually) and I LOVE them…for other stuff. But I KNOW they have some that would help asthma – might be worth a try!
With those mountain views, I don’t blame you for wanting to give up roads! I’d LOVE that!! Not the hills, but the views would totally make up for it! :)

Adrianna

my mom is the exact same…tons of breathing problems, allergies, asthma…all exacerbated by animals, dogs, mold, etc. she started getting allergy shots two years ago, and while she still struggles a lot, she is able to function a lot better. hope it works for your mom, too! all the best to her.